(Not Applicable)
(Not Applicable)
The present invention generally relates to lamination equipment for adhesively heat laminating two lengths of fabric to each other to form a laminated fabric product, and in particular to a flatbed fabric lamination machine having heating modules operative to adjust the heat applied to the fabric across the length of the heating module.
Fabric lamination is an extremely important process in the production of a myriad of goods. Such lamination generally involves the bonding of adjacent surfaces of two lengths of different textile products to each other with heat-sensitive adhesive. The two lengths typically are fed into a fabric lamination machine where both heat and physical pressure are applied to consequently activate the adhesive and bond the lengths of textile products together to form the laminated fabric product. Non-limiting examples of such laminated fabric products include garments with backings, wadding, decorative panels, carpets and draperies with backings and linings, furniture upholstery and bedding covers, and scores of other domestic and industrial commodities.
While fabric lamination machines are known in the art, these machines provide a single conveyor belt system of two rotating belts between which two lengths of fabric travel and are laminated by opposing pressured rollers after the lengths of the fabric are heated to a lamination temperature during belt travel in a heating zone. After such lamination, the resulting laminated product is cooled and made available for final use. The belts are heated in the heating zone through the use of upper and lower heater banks. Each upper and lower heater bank comprises a plurality of heater modules which provide heat to a respective moving conveyor belt. In this regard, the heater modules of the upper heater bank are positioned immediately above and in contact with the upper laminator conveyor belt, while the heater modules of the lower heater bank are positioned immediately below and in contact with the lower laminator conveyor belt. Typically, the heater modules comprise elongate rectangular extrusions that are placed laterally across the conveyor belt. Specifically, the heater modules are perpendicular to the direction of travel of the conveyor belt such that heat is directed across the width of the fabrics being laminated.
In heat lamination machines, the transfer of heat to the conveyor belt and the fabric must be uniform from the heater module in order to ensure a proper bond between the two textiles. Typically, in prior art heat lamination machines, the heating modules contain electric heating rods within three zones which transfer heat to the rectangular extrusion. However, the placement of the heating rods create xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d within the extrusion which are undesirable. The xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d are areas along the extrusion that do not have the desired temperature. Additionally, prior art heating modules do not allow for a prescribed temperature variation across the length of the extrusion. Specifically, the heating rods are placed across the length of the extrusion such that the heating module has the same temperature throughout the length thereof. Accordingly, it is not possible to vary the temperature in different zones of the heating module as may be necessary for the bonding of certain fabrics.
The present invention addresses the deficiencies in the prior art heat lamination machines by providing a heating module for a heat lamination machine that can accurately control the temperature of the conveyor belts. In this regard, the heating modules of the present invention evenly transfer heat across the width of the conveyor belts. The heating module of the present invention additionally provides lateral control of heat across the width of the conveyor belt for more precise control.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a laminating heating module for use in a flatbed laminating machine. The heating module comprises an elongate body portion having an interior chamber and a bottom wall. Typically, the body portion has a rectangular cross-sectional configuration. Disposed within the interior chamber on the bottom wall is an electric heating pad fabricated from silicone rubber and container a nickel-chrome heating element to provide uniform heat. The heating pad has three separate heating zones in order to provide lateral control of heat dissipation across the heating module. Attached to the heating pad at each respective heating zone is a thermocouple. Each thermocouple regulates the temperature of each of the heating zones. The heating module further includes a thermostat attached to the heating pad and operative to control the temperature of the heating zones to protect the heating pad from overheating.
Additionally, the present invention provides a method of regulating heat to a laminating heating module constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment. The method comprises supplying electricity to the heating pad in order to heat such. Next, the temperature of each heating zone is regulated with a respective thermocouple. Finally, the temperature of the heating pad is protected with the thermostat.